one of the latest rye whiskies i tried was redemption high rye bourbon. redemption came highly recommended from both employees and random patrons at green’s beverage and also from caskers. i’ve had their straight rye whiskey and quite enjoyed it, so i decided to try their rye/bourbon hybrid.

the high rye bourbon is 38.2% rye, 1.8% barley malt and 60% corn, which gives it have the spiciness of the rye with the sweetness of the corn. it was quite smooth and tasty! it’s 92 proof, so it packs a punch and goes great in old fashioneds or on the rocks. it’s not quite the bite i got used to with rittenhouse, but it’s still nice and strong.

redemption is a great choice for an affordable small-batch whiskey. i will probably go with the straight rye whiskey next time i get some redemption, however the high rye bourbon is still a great liquor and worth trying.

– ryan

a buddy recently gave me a bottle of templeton rye. it’s a very tasty rye whiskey that comes in a class bottle you’ll want to keep on the front of your bar! the design is not quite as cool as 13th colony bottle design, but it’s on par.

legend has it, templeton rye was al capone’s drink of choice and popular at speakeasies during prohibition. although the legitimacy of their story has recently been called into question. besides all of that, the rye was very smooth and enjoyable. it has a dark amber color and a good bit of spiciness.

the only drawback to templeton is it’s only 80 proof, which is similar to a vodka. i’ve gotten used to drinking 100 proof rittenhouse and 92 proof redemption, so 80 proof doesn’t quite pack the punch in an old fashioned for me. it does make it smooth and easier to drink on the rocks though, so if that’s your thing you’ll totally love it.

the other drawback it it’s price. templeton is a good $10-$15 more per bottle than rittenhouse, redemption and bulleit. with that being said, i don’t know if i will restock when the bottle runs out.

– ryan

i was recently given a bottle of knob creek rye. as you can imagine, i was quite excited! in my journey of trying different rye whiskies, this was my first knob creek experience.

let’s start out with the bottle design. it’s sort of a classic meets modern style with cool big block letters on the label. the bottle features a cork cap and pours very nicely out of the narrow curved glass. i have to say i definitely did not like the wax sealing on the cap though. it looks classy while sealed, however just becomes clunky after opening. all in all, i give them high grades on the design.

knob creek rye is 100 proof, so it’s nice and strong like rittenhouse. it’s on the darker side and is both spicy and smooth. although it does have a bite, it’s still tasty over the rocks.

the only downside to knob creek it it’s price. it is a good $10-$15 more per bottle than rittenhouse, redemption and bulleit. so as much as i liked it, i don’t know if i will grab it again except for special occasions.

– ryan

rittenhouse has a new label design for its straight rye whiskey. the design is more modern and gives the bottle a classier feel. it still has a screw top, however the new look is definitely more pleasing to look at sitting on your liquor shelf! compare it to the old design.

rittenhouse has earned the double gold medal at the san francisco world spirits competition and was also named the best north american whisky by whisky magazine. not too shabby for a rye you can find for around $20!

did i mention it’s great in an old fashioned?

– ryan

i enjoyed some old fashioned cocktails this evening! i would say it came from the combination of being on both a rye whiskey kick on top of a mad men kick!

for those interested, i went with bulleit rye and angostura bitters.

– ryan

old fashioned:

1 tsp sugar or 2 sugar cubes
2-4 dashes angostura bitters
2 oz rye whiskey
1 large ice cube or ice cubes
splash club soda
2 orange wheel
1 orange wheel rind
2 maraschino cherry

directions:
• rub an orange wheel rind around the rim of a highball glass
• muddle sugar, orange wheel, cherry and bitters in glass
• add a splash of club soda and swirl around
• remove orange rind and add ice
• pour in rye and stir
• garnish with a fresh maraschino cherry and an orange slice

– ryan

we are enjoying mint juleps before the kentucky derby! we went with a recipe from the original bartender’s guide by trader vic from 1947 and used rittenhouse rye. they are quite tasty for sure!

rittenhouse is the latest rye whiskey i tried out. i had read a lot about them, including how they won the 2006 north american whiskey of the year award, but had yet to try out their rye. at only $18.99, it is definitely the most economical option for a solid tasting rye out there. the bottle design is nothing to write home about, however it packs a punch at 100 proof and is a great addition to one’s bar.

i would probably stick with mixing rittenhouse in cocktails like juleps, manhattans or an old-fashioned over just sipping the whiskey. it has a little more bite than bulleit or redemption, but for the price, it’s still tasty and great in mixed drinks.

rittenhouse is bottled in bond, which means it was the product of one distillation season by one distiller at one distillery, was aged in a federally bonded warehouse under us government supervision for at least four years and bottled at 100 proof. pretty strict standards for such an economical rye!

check our my previous posts on bulleit, 13th colony and redemption rye.

– ryan

georgia mint julep recipe:

ingredients:
1 tsp sugar syrup
4 springs fresh mint
2 oz. brandy (we substituted rye)
2 oz. apricot brandy (we substituted more rye)
shaved ice

directions:
– crush mint with sugar syrup in large class and fill with crushed ice
– add liquor and stir gently until glass frosts
– serve with straws and garnish with more mint

i’ve been sampling different rye whiskies as of late. after trying bulleit and 13th colony, i went with redemption rye whiskey. off the bat, i wasn’t impressed with the design of the bottle. the hand-numbered batch was a nice touch, but the metal screw cap was a big turn off. i was, however, recommended their rye by both employees and random patrons on five consecutive trips to green’s beverage, so i decided it was time to try it out.

like bulleit, redemption straight rye is distilled from 95% premium rye mash and aged for 2 years in new charred oak barrels. at 92 proof, it has a little more bite than bulleit, but it is still super smooth. for only $23.99, it definitely gives bulleit a run for it’s money for best value.

back to the bottle design. if i were headed to a party or giving this as a gift (ie. cared about a nice presentation), i would probably go with bulleit or 13th colony. those bottle designs are much more fun and have better counter appeal.

on the other hand, if you are looking to get a gift for a big rye fan, redemption is a great choice they may not have tried. it’s very tasty, and for the price, i know i will be going back to this brand.

– ryan

as previously mentioned, i’ve been on a big rye kick recently. after moving beyond bulleit, the next rye i tried was southern rye whiskey by 13th colony. i’ll say up front that it definitely had the best designed bottle i’ve come across! i’m keeping this one around for future uses.

i was intrigued that 13th colony was from americus, georgia. to many, including the employee at green’s, the fact that this whiskey came from georgia was a deterrent. i was excited though to see what was being distilled in my own state and was impressed! it was a little darker in color and had more bite (95 proof) than bulleit, but it was still smooth. pouring drinks out of the bottle was an added bonus. the old-fashioned design made it feel like it’s own decanter.

the only downside to the 13th colony rye was it’s price. at $28.99, it’s not the most expensive around, however i don’t know if i enjoyed it that much more than cheaper options like redemption or bulleit.

– ryan

i’ve been on a big rye whiskey kick recently. it’s become fairly popular over the last few years. liquor store shelves are now loaded with small batch options in atlanta. i’m by no means a connoisseur, but i do enjoy drinking some rye on the rocks with a little lime, and i also appreciate a well designed bottle for the full experience.

the first rye i remember trying was from bulleit, which is actually still one of my go-to brands. i was working at a food & wine festival and bulleit had a booth giving away samples of their new rye. they were promoting that it was made from 95% rye-mash, which was the highest on the market at the time. i was told to picture rye bread while drinking it and then to picture corn bread while sampling their bourbon. i was definitely able to taste the spicy versus sweet distinction.

to some, bulleit rye is not aged long enough and lacks some bite, but i really enjoy it. it’s very smooth (90 proof), comes in a classy bottle, but most importantly, it’s also affordable. you can find it for $24.99 at green’s beverage in atlanta, which makes it an easy bottle to restock.

in general, american whiskeys are classified by the type of grain being distilled. rye is distilled from at least 51% rye grain, while bourbon is distilled from at least 51% corn. check out my post from a few years ago for more information on bourbons.

– ryan

we recently went to the pinewood tippling room in downtown decatur, which is located in the old cakes & ale. we found a great scout mob deal and decided to try out the new restaurant.

the pinewood specializes in southern fare and fancy libations, which both lived up to their expectations. the restaurant in the style of other modern watering holes, ie. h. harper station, with tasty, albeit pricey, handcrafted cocktails. the bartenders were very knowledgeable though and definitely worked hard for their tips! the food was very tasty as well. we both ended up going with the fried chicken & waffles and had the crispy pork belly to start things off.

we definitely enjoyed our first pinewood tippling room experience and would head back! be sure to check out their dinner, libation & spirit menus.

– ryan

pinewood tippling room

254 west ponce de leon avenue
decatur, ga 30030
404-373-5507